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Tuesday, 8 January 2013

AN Asian shop worker has told of the horror moment racist thugs firebombed his home.
Jahan Tayyab and his housemates were trapped upstairs and had to hang
out windows gasping for air because the smoke was so thick.
Muslim Jahan, 24 – who emigrated to Scotland from Pakistan five years
ago – and his friends were sleeping when the thugs torched the front
door of their end terrace home in Alloa.
Police are treating the incident, which happened at around 5am on Sunday, as racially motivated.
Engineering graduate Jahan shares the home with fellow Pakistani
store worker Zubair Ahmed and Indian pal Tara Singh, who is known as
Tony.
Jahan said: “Tony had gone to the bathroom and that’s when he heard the alarm.
“He shouted, ‘There is smoke everywhere – come out’. I opened my door and I couldn’t see.
“My housemates asked me if I’d left anything on in the kitchen and I said, ‘No’. We realised something was very wrong.
“When I tried to look downstairs, I saw the flames coming through the front door. But I didn’t want
to take the risk of going down. It was hard to breathe and the smoke was really thick.”
The
three men hung out windows as they waited to be rescued. Jahan said: “We
all went to get air and we called the fire brigade. They soon arrived
and got us out through the front door.”
Jahan, Tony and Zubair had medical treatment and gave statements at the police station.
Jahan insists they are fortunate to be alive and revealed how the
firebombing is not first time their home has been targeted by vandals.
Windows have also been smashed in recent weeks.
Jahan said: “We were lucky that Tony woke up because if you’re
sleeping and you breathe in the smoke, you just remain unconscious.
Anything could have happened.
“We
have wee incidents happening all the time at the store, for example when
we refuse an alcohol sale. But never anything like this.An emergency service note still adorns the front door
“We’re not sure if we’re going to move back in. I don’t think I would feel safe if I moved back in there.
“Stuff like this is now happening to us every few weeks.”
The targeted home is owned by Jahan’s boss, Mohammed Amin.
The
shopkeeper, 42, said: “I haven’t managed to get back in to survey the damage yet because the police are still holding the key.”
A spokeswoman for Central Police confirmed they are treating the latest attack as racially motivated.
She added: “All three occupants were male and were removed from the property safely. None of them suffered any injuries.
“Our investigation is ongoing.”